Hey guys! I've been seeing some of the adds going through for your submissions. Yep, it's alot easier and quicker to add things in the db through the CR 2.0 system!

However, if you can add a small item bio to your submissions, that would be great. If it's a card, it's the info on the back of the card. If it's a comic, it's a small or lengthy summary, first appearance info, or both. It can even be sourced bio info from the manufacturer or publisher's themselves own website.

Remember, Google picks up item bios on items for their search engines. More pick ups from Google means more traffic to CCL. It's a win-win.

So, if you can two minutes to write a bio on your adds, (especially issues) that would be great. No reason not to have them on new books - the info can be pulled from the publisher's own website.

Thanks folks!

Please give credit where credit it due.
Taking the info directly from the publisher's website should include citing your source.

TIA!

I must jump in here too. I must stress the importance of this. The Item Bio is the single most important piece of data that a submitter can contribute. The longer, and more information the better.

With the search engines it is all about content. The more the better. Any history, any unique information, anything that is relevant to that item can be added.

Even things like:

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This book is very sought after. It is famous for the smudge on one of the panels on page 10. This happened when Stan Lee drooled on the final print because he was watching a hot girl answer the phones at the front desk. He often makes mention that if he hadn't been married at the time, it would have been a much bigger smudge as he was disciplined enough to pull himself from gawking after only a 3 minute stare.

Also, this book was the last work of artist......

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Those are the things I am looking for. That type of information will put CCL on the map!

Steve sat down with me last night and talked about Valliant Comics, and the history of Shadow Man, and how they built their characters, and how they re-launched their characters. I thought WOW, if we had this information, we would be the one stop shop for research.

So, take liberty, and make that Item Bio really jump out of the computer!

Thanks for the comments, Joe & Valiant...the added dimensions about the types of desired info is helpful. My biggest thrill in my CCL participation has been in writing these bios, and I am always conscious of what goes into it.

Certainly, nailing the nuances of the story line are important. Issue keys are huge, but just two days ago I did a bio for Tales to Astonish #94 and...there it was...the first art appearance of my favorite Hulk artist, Herb Trimpe...coming in as inker over Marie Severin pencils...gorgeous stuff and important, as the guy would go on to a 100-issue run on ol' Jade Jaws.

Think I'll go back and add a note!...

It can be time consuming sometimes, I realize this. However, it also can be a benefit to CCL in the long run. This gives us relevance. (I mean, as if we don't have enough already...) ;)

Another quick source of some bio info, especially on some of the older books, is the editorial/letters pages of comics. Marvel and DC used to do alot of them, even if its only a line or two. I know they are not much, but some IS better than nothing. And sometimes you can read one book and throw a short bio into 7 or 8 more!

Like Warlock I thoroughly enjoy writing bios myself, but it can be very time consuming, so don't spend as much time on it as I would like...

Y'know I looked at this above, thinking it was posted yesterday, but in fact it was last year.

Ganted this is a belated tag to this item, but I to would like to point out that the item bio is a very important part of the data. It does not have to be too much. As little as the story title and a quick two or three lines about the story or plot is great. From my view anymore should actually end up in a review.

Indeed - story title is a must (if the issue has one of course)!
As for the plot, let's try not to ruin it on new stuff - you can give a decent plot summary without including spoilers.
Older stuff.... well let's be realistic. Everybody knows that Superman dies in Superman #75 - it's old news so no problem putting that in the issue Bio.

Well - everybody does *now*. Thanks for ruining it!

geez dude, I'm only up to 2008 on my read stack but how far behind are you?

Do Reviews help with this? B/C I've written a couple and later when doing research for other stuff, I haven't seen them pop up in search engine results. Probably a dumb question but I had to ask.